Russian air defense systems successfully intercepted a host of Ukrainian jets, missiles and drones over the past day, the Russian Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday.
"Air defense systems shot down: six US-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, two French-made Hammer guided bombs, seven US-made HIMARS rockets, 28 unmanned aerial vehicles, and a Ukrainian Yak-52 aircraft with a machine gun installation," the statement said.
Since the start of the special operation, 628 Ukrainian military aircraft, 277 helicopters, 27,650 UAVs, 552 anti-aircraft missile systems, 16,594 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,378 MLRS combat vehicles, 11,982 field artillery and mortars, and 23,739 special military motor vehicles have been destroyed.
In a separate development, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost over 500 soldiers in battles with Russia's Yug Battlegroup in the past 24 hours.
"The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 560 servicepeople, one tank, two armored combat vehicles, three cars, three 152-mm D-20 guns, a 122-mm self-propelled artillery installation Gvozdika, three 122-mm D-30 howitzers, and three US-made 105-mm M119 howitzers," the ministry said.
Russia’s Zapad Battlegroup repelled one Ukrainian counterattack, making Kiev lose 545 soldiers, while the Tsentr Battlegroup fought off six Ukrainian counterattacks in which Kiev lost up to 320 soldiers in battles, the ministry said.
Ukraine also lost up to 230 soldiers in battles with Russia's Sever Battlegroup, the ministry added.